Leaving with a Heart Fuller Than When He Began: Adrian Hathaway Retires After 39 Years

Beloved teacher, housemaster, coach and mentor Adrian Hathaway has retired after an extraordinary 39 years of service to Bishop’s Stortford College, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, humour, kindness and countless lives positively shaped along the way.

As the Summer Term drew to a close, so too did an extraordinary chapter in the history of Bishop’s Stortford College. After 39 years of dedicated service, much-loved Prep School teacher and former Grimwade Housemaster Adrian Hathaway retired, bringing to an end a career that touched countless lives and spanned almost four decades.

Looking back on his time at the College, Adrian shared memories stretching from his arrival in September 1987 to his final days in the classroom, recalling sporting triumphs, boarding house life, fundraising successes, family milestones and the many friendships forged along the way. Speaking to an audience of former and current colleagues, pupils, boarders, parents and friends, he reflected not on the many roles he had held, but on the people who had made those years so memorable.

“The common thread running through every single memory is the people, especially the pupils,” he said. “The privilege of helping young people learn, grow and flourish has always been the real purpose behind everything I have done.”

From New PE Teacher to College Legend

When Adrian first walked through the doors of Grimwade in September 1987, he could hardly have imagined the journey ahead.

Fresh from a Greek holiday and full of enthusiasm for his new role as the Prep School’s first dedicated PE and Swimming teacher, he arrived ready to make his mark. The College Prep School itself looked very different then, with around 240 boys and 76 full boarders.

His energy quickly became apparent. One of his first initiatives was a gymnastics display team, performing an ambitious Open Day routine to The Final Countdown that featured vaulting, somersaulting and mock sword formations.

Looking back, Adrian jokes that it would probably fail every modern health and safety inspection but at the time it was a huge hit with pupils and parents alike.

Sporting Success on the National Stage

Sport became one of the hallmarks of Adrian’s career, and among his proudest achievements came in 1991.

That year, all four Prep School age groups qualified for every individual and relay event at the IAPS National Swimming Finals at Rossall School. Competing against some of the country’s strongest swimming schools, including Millfield and QEGS Wakefield, Bishop’s Stortford College broke four national records and emerged as National Team Champions. The achievement remains one of the standout moments of Adrian’s time at the College.

What makes the story even more memorable is the team’s preparation: a night in a modest Blackpool guest house followed by penny arcade visits and candy floss on the pier before racing the next day. “Preparation methods may have changed slightly since then,” he laughed.

Giving Back and Building Community

Beyond sport, Adrian was passionate about bringing people together for good causes.

In 1994, he helped organise a major British Heart Foundation fundraiser, Jump Rope for Heart, involving 50 teams of pupils, parents and staff skipping continuously for four hours. With television cameras from Anglia TV present and sports broadcaster Jim Rosenthal acting as compère, the event raised almost £8,000, believed at the time to be a national record for a single event of its type.

More than a decade later, Adrian joined four colleagues in running the London Marathon in support of WellChild, raising significant funds for the charity. The effort ultimately led to him and four pupils being invited to meet Prince William at a charity polo event.

Throughout his career, fundraising remained a reflection of one of Adrian’s defining qualities: a determination to create opportunities and experiences that extended beyond the classroom.

The Heart of Grimwade

Ask many former pupils what they remember most about Adrian Hathaway and the answer is likely to involve Grimwade.

Alongside his wife Mandy, Adrian spent 13 years caring for generations of boarders as Housemaster of Grimwade Boarding House. Together they created a home away from home for up to 60 full, weekly and flexi boarders, many of whom were living thousands of miles from their families.

Grimwade Centenary Celebrations - 2012

Reflecting on those years, Adrian described them as among the most significant and rewarding of his career. “Helping to guide, support and nurture young people was perhaps the most meaningful aspect of my work,” he said.

Many former boarders returned for his farewell celebration in June, a powerful testament to the lasting impact he and Mandy had on their lives.

A Family Story Intertwined with the College

The College has not only been Adrian’s workplace; it has been the backdrop to much of his family life.

In a story worthy of a school romance, the “new Junior Matron” he first met upon arriving in 1987 eventually became his wife. Adrian and Mandy married in the Memorial Hall in 1990, accompanied by the College choir and trumpeters.

Their children, Elliot (PP, WH,HH, 96-10) and Jess (PP,WH,BH, 98-12) , grew up on campus, spending their childhood exploring the grounds and becoming part of the College community as pupils themselves. Jess later taught in the Shell, while Elliot was married in the Memorial Hall to Emily (nee Tattersall) (WH,BH, 07-10) who currently teaches in the Pre-Prep.

Now, as Adrian retires, a new chapter is beginning, his granddaughter Ottilie is preparing to join Reception, ensuring the Hathaway connection with the College continues.

As Adrian put it: “One out and one in.”

Grimwade Farewell Reunion - 2025

Humour, Humility and Lifelong Friendships

Throughout his farewell reflections, Adrian’s trademark humour was never far away.

He joked about answering the question, “What are we doing today, Sir?” approximately 87,000 times, surviving countless curriculum changes, inspections and expired passwords.

He also reflected affectionately on school productions, charity events, adventurous expeditions and the many unexpected moments that become treasured memories over a long teaching career. Yet behind the humour was a profound sense of gratitude.

“The College has many beautiful buildings, but without people they are simply bricks and mortar,” he said. “It is the generations of pupils, families and staff who have brought those buildings to life.”

Retirement Celebration - June 2026

An Enduring Legacy

As Adrian Hathaway steps away from the classroom after 39 years, he does so as one of the most cherished figures in the College’s recent history.

Teacher, coach, housemaster, fundraiser, colleague, mentor and friend, he has helped shape the lives of thousands of young people while embodying the values that make Bishop’s Stortford College such a special community.

While retirement will bring more time with Mandy, their children and grandchildren, Adrian leaves with no shortage of plans.

His closing words captured the affection he feels for the place that has been at the centre of his life for nearly four decades:

“Thank you for the laughter in difficult weeks, the shoulder of encouragement in uncertain moments, the friendships that have become part of life itself, and the privilege of sharing so many years with such remarkable young people and colleagues. After 39 years, I leave with a heart far fuller than when I began. The bell has finally gone, and for once, I’m not staying behind to tidy up.”

After an extraordinary 39-year adventure, Adrian Hathaway leaves Bishop’s Stortford College with the gratitude of an entire community and a legacy that will endure for generations to come.

Retirement Celebration - June 2026